


Appreciate it While it Lasts

by TheEigthPillarGeneral



Series: Zabimaru Therapy [5]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ichihime (mentioned), Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Renji & Byakuya Bonding, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-27 22:12:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13890180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral
Summary: Renji and Byakuya manage to talk a little and they learn that they're both widowers.





	Appreciate it While it Lasts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [junko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/gifts), [Josey (cestus)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cestus/gifts).



> Our boys are finally talking! I hope you enjoy!

Renji tried not to cower under Byakuya’s gaze, feeling a little self-conscious from the way his eyes lingered upon him. This man was full of power and authority, and Renji could feel it from his eyes. At the same time, however, he was as stunning as ever. Dressed in a gray suit with a fitted jacket that highlighted his well-toned and lean body, along with a silver tie, Byakuya looked more suited to being a male model than a CEO, really.

“How was the wedding?” Byakuya asked, his voice seemingly casual. “Apart from the… misfortune with the mother of the bride.”

“A-Ah, it went great, apart from that,” Renji said, flustering a little. He nervously fiddled with the white rose boutonniere upon his left lapel. He’d wanted to wear an orange rose but it would’ve probably clashed with his red hair, which was flowing freely past his shoulders.

Byakuya nodded, sipping his umeshu. “I see,” he mused. “The couple are your friends?”

“Yeah,” Renji said after a sip of umeshu. “Ichigo and Inoue are high school sweethearts. He’s a doctor, she’s a preschool teacher, and they finally got married after… what, a few years?” He chuckled. “About damn time they got married. Though, I do hope they appreciate it while they can. You never know what life can throw at you.”

He sighed as memories of his own short-lived marriage came to mind. Renji had only been married for less than a year before his wife and her entire family had been murdered last year, thanks to his late father-in-law’s shady dealings.

“Indeed,” Byakuya agreed, looking vaguely melancholic. “If you see them, give them my congratulations.”

“Will do,” Renji said.

An amused glint came to Byakuya’s eyes. “Still, spilling red wine onto her dress,” he mused, the tiniest of smiles tugging at the corners of his lips. “It must’ve been truly the last resort to have done something like that.”

“God, don’t remind me,” Renji snorted. “She’s a real peach, that woman. And she acted really weird towards Ichigo during the wedding planning, like trying to flirt with him  _ in front of his fiancée.  _ I should’ve known she’d actually wear a white dress.” He shuddered. “I dunno about you, but it really rubs me the wrong way when the mother of the bride looks like she wants to fuck her son-in-law.”

Much to his surprise, Byakuya laughed. It was light and pleasant, and it showed clearly in his eyes. Renji thought that he’d be thrown off by his less-than-formal speech, but he was clearly amused by it.

“Your friend should be grateful to have someone like you,” Byakuya told him. “If only you were there at my own wedding.”

Renji raised an eyebrow. Byakuya was married?

“Who wore the dress?” he asked.

“My aunt,” Byakuya sighed. “To quote you, she was also a ‘real peach’. She, among many of my family, openly disapproved of my wife.”

“How come?”

Byakuya paused before setting his glass down. “How about you walk with me, Abarai?” he offered. “I do not think this story is exactly appropriate to share over alcohol.”

“Ah.” Renji nodded, taking one last drink of umeshu before setting his glass down.

After Byakuya paid the bill, he and Renji left the restaurant and walked to the Hakuren Gardens, another attraction of Sode no Shirayuki Hotel & Spa. Vast, green, and quiet, the garden held two lily ponds, several plum blossom trees, and several rows of snowdrop flowers.

“Beautiful gardens,” Renji praised.

“Thank you,” Byakuya said, glancing at him as they strolled through the rows of snowdrops. “While these gardens are wonderful, I suggest you see the gardens at the Senbonzakura Kageyoshi Resort & Spa. Those gardens are very traditional.”

They strolled in silence for a moment before Byakuya began speaking again. He had no idea why he was suddenly telling this to someone he didn’t know too well, but Renji had those understanding, empathetic eyes that seemed to show that he was honestly listening to him. Byakuya felt like he could tell him anything, really.

“My wife, Hisana… she grew up very poor,” he explained. “However, she was able to attend a very prestigious private school, the one I also attended, on scholarship. We met in that school and began a relationship.” He lowered his eyes. “My family didn’t approve of her because of how poor she was. Needless to say, the announcement of my marriage to her was not taken very well by the family. I still went through with it and married her. Sadly, it didn’t last too long.”

Renji had been listening silently until now. “What happened?” he tentatively asked.

“Appendicitis,” Byakuya said quietly. “It was much too fast, and much too soon. We’d been married for five years, and it was last year that this happened. Hisana had always been very sickly, but it was very unexpected.”

So Byakuya was a widower like him, Renji realized. He felt a pang of sorrow for him, especially right now. In the setting sun, with his head bowed down as if in contemplation, Byakuya appeared much more vulnerable than usual.

By now, they’d stopped under the plum blossom tree. Byakuya gently plucked a flower off one of the branches, examining it slowly. “Hisana told me, before she died, that our five years of marriage were like a dream. Indeed, they were like a dream. It went by too fast for me.”

Renji paused, not knowing what to say for a moment. He knew that a simple ‘I’m sorry’ could do, but would probably not be enough.

“I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “I know how you feel.”

Byakuya looked at him curiously, prompting him to continue.

“I was married too,” Renji told him, earning a look of surprise. “My wife, Jackie, was a foreigner. She and I met when we were both at a low point in our lives and just hit it off. We got married last year, but it didn’t even survive half of it.” He sighed. “Turns out, my late father-in-law was a shady guy. Jackie and the rest of her family ended up paying for his black market dealings with their lives.”

Byakuya was stunned. He never would’ve guessed that Abarai Renji was a widower like him. He always seemed so friendly and polite, and his eyes never gave any hint of sorrow or grief. But to learn that Renji had been married for only less than a year before losing his wife to a murder… Byakuya supposed that he should be grateful that he’d managed to enjoy five years of marriage to Hisana. Renji couldn’t enjoy even a full year of his own marriage.

“I… I’m sorry…” Byakuya said, not knowing what else to say. “I didn’t know you were married.”

“I stopped wearing the ring after the funeral,” Renji admitted. “Wearing it was too painful for me. I really miss her sometimes.”

Byakuya nodded in agreement. “Sometimes, I miss Hisana as well,” he said. “I truly enjoyed the days I spent with her.”

“Me too,” Renji said, smiling ruefully. “Sure, it was too short, but I really did enjoy my time with Jackie. We made some great memories together.” He looked up at the plum blossoms. “I hope Ichigo and Inoue can make some good memories together.”

“They should appreciate each other as much as they can,” Byakuya said. “Because who knows what life has in store for them?”

They stood in silence for several moments, each one thinking about their conversation.

For Byakuya, telling Renji about Hisana felt so… relieving. Not only did Renji listen to him, but he empathized with him as well. Renji was truly an enigma, and Byakuya honestly wanted to get to know him a little better. After all, Renji seemed like the kind of man whom one could talk to him about anything, and he’d listen and give some advice that would actually help. Now, all he needed was to find a way to become more comfortable with him.

“Is it alright if you can book me in for another massage?” Byakuya asked, glancing at him.

Renji looked at him, mildly surprised, but nodded. “Sure thing,” he said, pulling his phone out. “What kind, and when?”

“The coming Friday, at six o’clock,” Byakuya said. “I was thinking that a deep tissue massage would be nice. Preferably for an hour.”

“Sounds great,” Renji said, smiling. “I got you marked down for an hour-long deep tissue massage on Friday at six.”

Byakuya glanced down at his watch. “I should be heading home soon,” he said. “Rukia is probably waiting for me.”

“Yeah, I gotta open up shop for tomorrow,” Renji said. He gave Byakuya a smile. “Well, it was nice meeting you here. I’ll see you on Friday?”

“Of course,” Byakuya agreed. “I hope that the massage is just as good as last time, Abarai.”

“Er… well, if you put pressure on me like that…” Renji laughed.

Byakuya smiled slightly. “Well, I’m very difficult to please, you should know,” he reminded him. “I’m looking forward to Friday. Have a good night.”

With that, he strolled out of the gardens back into the hotel, his heart feeling significantly lighter than it did in a long time.

**Author's Note:**

> My Muse decided to have Renji be a widower in this AU, so I went along with it. Why Jackie? Because they seemed to be a plausible pair, and because I thought it'd be interesting to have Renji and Byakuya bond over them both being widowers. Let me know how I did :) Have a good one!


End file.
